A contract awarded to a former British Army officer to help
secure post-war Iraq should be revoked, Irish-American lobbyists
in Washington said yesterday.

Tim Spicer’s firm, Aegis Defence Services Ltd, was recently
awarded a $160 million contract to help secure the war-torn
country.

But the decision has angered the Washington-based Irish National
Caucus. It pointed out that Mr Spicer spoke in defence of the
two soldiers convicted of murdering Peter McBride (18) in the
New Lodge area of Belfast in 1992. Mr Spicer said he was
“delighted” when Scots Guards James Fisher and Mark Wright were
retained in the British Army.

Fr Sean McManus, president of the Irish National Caucus, said
the 293-million-dollar contract granted to Aegis Defence Service
“has Irish blood on it” and was an “insult” to Irish-Americans.

“This could undo any credit you gained from Irish-Americans for
your support of the Irish peace-process,” McManus said in a
letter to the U.S. president.

“US dollars should not subsidize such a person as Lt. Col.
Spicer,” McManus continued, demanding an immediate revocation of
the deal. “And long-suffering Iraq needs him no more than
Northern Ireland needed him.”

Father McManus said he had also written to the former First Lady
and New York senator, Ms Hillary Clinton, presidential contender
Mr John Kerry and Senator Edward Kennedy, appealing for support.

The deal is the biggest post-Iraq war security contract to have
been awarded to date.

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